What they Think
by Ranger indecisive
Summary: Ok this my version of the R.A. characters reading Erak's ransom... if you have any ideas for this story pm me or leave it in a review... I will try me best to update as soon as i can, cose sometimes life gets in the way...
1. Chapter 1

**Ok, this is goanna be my view of the characters reading Erak's Ransom. Please review cose it will make me update faster… **

'Okay were only waiting for Gilan,' said King Duncan.

'Well yes but you can't expect him to be here on time, it's like mentally impossible for him.' Halt said in a smug voice.

'And Halt, what would mean I have finally proved you wrong.' Said Gilan how now stepped out of the shadows. Everyone jumped, but Halt being Halt cover up his and said.

'Gorlog's beard, sit down and stop wasting time.' Gilan did his face downcast as he had, for once, made Halt jump and he just cover it up and no one saw.

'Right, who wants to read first?' Duncan asked.

'I will my lord,' said Pauline.

_Chapter 1_

_The sentry never saw the dark-clad figure ghosting through the night towards Castle Araluen. Merging with the prevailing patterns of light and shade thrown by the half moon, the interloper seemed to blend into the fabric of the night, matching the rhythm of the trees and cloud shadows as they moved with the moderate wind._

'Just like us,' said Will.

'Well done Will you just pointed out the obvious, and only in to sentences.' Halt said with a small smile. Will turned a shade of red and pointed to Pauline to continue.

_The sentry's post was in the outer cordon, outside the walls of the massive castle, by the south-eastern tower._

'Really you have too many towers I get lost every time I go for a walk.' Horace exclaimed.

'And how long have you been living here. Oh yes over five years.' Cassie said with an eyebrow raised.

_The moat rippled gently behind him, its surface stirred by the wind so that the reflections of the stars in the dark water were set shimmering in a thousand tiny points of light. Before him stretched the massive parkland that surrounded the castle, carefully tended, immaculately mown and dotted with fruit and shade trees._

'Yes it must take for ever to sort out your parkland.' Crowley said with mock concern.

'It does.' Duncan answered, completely missing the sarcasm.

'And how would you know,' Cassie replied catching on with the conversation. Duncan had nothing to say to his daughter's clever reply.

_The ground sloped gently away from the castle. There were trees and small shady dells where couples or individuals could sit and relax and picnic in relative privacy, sheltered from the sun. But the trees were small land they were well spaced out, with plenty of open ground between them so that concealment would be denied to any large attacking force. _

'Has it ever been tested?' Asked Halt.

'It doesn't need to be tested.' Replied Crowley.

'Anyway what would you know about castles, Halt?' Said Gilan with a grin pasted on his face. Halt raised his eyebrow and Gilan realised how stupid his comment had been.

'I used to live up in a Castle, Mr I think I'm cleaver but I'm not.'

_It was a well-ordered compromise between the provision of privacy and relaxation and the need for security in an age when an attack could conceivably happen at any time._

_Thirty metres to the left of where the sentry stood, a picnic table had been fashioned by attaching an old cartwheel to the sawn-off stump of what had been a larger tree. Several rustic benches were placed around the table and a smaller tree had been planted to one side to shade it at noon. It was a favourite picnic spot for the knights and their ladies. It afforded a good overview of the green, pleasant parklands that sloped away to the distant dark line of a forest._

'OOOh spooky forest.' Gilan said with a mocking voice.

'Yes the forest out side my battle school used to make you wet yourself.' Replied Sir David, Gilan's father. Gilan went a shade of pink whilst everyone laughed.

_And it was placed so that it would enjoy sunshine all year round so long as the sun was shining. The intruder was heading towards this table._

_The dark figure slipped into the shadows of a small grove forty metres from the bench, then dropped belly down to the ground. Taking one last look to get a bearing, the intruder snaked out of the shadows, face down, heading for the shelter of the table._

_Progress was painstakingly slow. _

'It really is so slow,' complained Horace.

'And when did you ever skull around unseen?' asked Cassie with an eyebrow raised.

'Oh it was a time of his life,' said Will remembering when Horace and he had been chasing the outsiders group.

'I will definitely have to hear this story.' added Alyss, and Cassie nodded in agreement and the girls both smiled at each other.

_This was obviously a trained stalker who knew that any rapid movement would register with the sentry's peripheral vision. _

'Really this person is no trained stalker,' said Duncan.

'And how would you know and be quite we don't want the others to find out how it is.' Replied Cassie quickly.

_As shadows of clouds passed over the park, the crawling figure would move with them, rippling unobtrusively across the short grass, seeming to be just one more moving shadow. The dark green clothing aided concealment. Black would have been too dark and would have created too deep a shadow. Dark green merged perfectly with the tone of the grass itself._

_It took ten minutes to cover the distance to the table. A few metres short of the objective, the figure froze as the guard suddenly stiffened, as if alerted by some sound or slight movement or perhaps just an intuitive sense that all was not quite right. He turned and peered in the general direction of the table, not even registering the dark, unmoving shape a few metres from it._

'I just love it when that happens and they can't spot you.' Halt smiled a little.

'I didn't,' started cassie, 'at first I thought that my heart might burst, or someone might spot me.'

_ Eventually satisfied that there was no danger, the sentry shook his head, stamped his feet, marched a few paces to the right then back to the left, then shifted his spear to his left hand and rubbed his tired eyes with his right. He was bored and tired and, he told himself, it was when you got that way that you started imagining things._

'It must be so boring to be a sentry.' Gilan grinned.

'Well I could always have you stand outside you cabin all night, on a really cold day.' Said Halt with an evil slip of a smile.

'You wouldn't,' Gilan look at Halt quite scared. Halt raised his eyebrow in a _do you think I'm not serious_ look.

_He yawned, then settled into a slump, his weight resting more on one foot than the other. He sniffed wryly. He'd never get away with that relaxed posture on daylight sentry duty. But it was after midnight now and the sergeant of the guard was unlikely to come and check on him in the next hour._

_As the sentry relaxed again, the dark figure slid the last few metres to the shelter of the table. Rising slowly to a crouching position, the intruder studied the situation. The sentry, after his shuffling and stamping, _

'That's one of the problems of you knights and sentries, you make noise like you want to raise the dead.' Mocked Halt.

'And you used to complain about my sarcasm.' Complained Sir David.

'Only because you weren't good at it,' added Gilan

Sir David turned to his son. 'And, pray tell, would you know about sarcasm.'

'I was Halt's apprentice,' said Gilan with extra stress on the word Halt.

_had moved a few metres further away from the table, but not enough to cause a problem._

_There was a long leather thong knotted around the intruder's waist. Now, untied, it could be seen to be a sling, with a soft leather pouch at its centre. A smooth, heavy stone went into the pouch and the figure rose a little, beginning to swing the simple weapon in a wide slow circle, using a minimal wrist movement and gradually building up speed._

'Well I like were this is going,' Will said trying to sound wise.

_The sentry became aware of a foreign sound in the night. It began as a deep-throated, almost inaudible hum, and slowly grew higher in pitch. The change was so gradual that he wasn't sure at what point he became aware of it. It sounded like an insect of some sort, he thought ... a giant bee, perhaps. It was difficult to detect the direction the sound was coming from. Then a memory stirred. One of the other sentries had mentioned a similar sound some days previously. He'd said it was..._

Will sat forward on his seat, wanting to know more. 'Oh, what happens next?'

'Well if we read on we may find out.' Halt scoffed and Will sat back, his cheeks flushing red in colour.

_CLANG!_

_An unseen missile smashed into the head of his spear. The force of the impact snatched the weapon from his loose grasp, sending it cart-wheeling away from him. His hand dropped instinctively to the hilt of his sword and he had it half drawn when a slim figure rose from behind the table to his left. _

_The cry of alarm froze in his throat as, the intruder pushed back the dark cowl that had concealed a mass of blonde hair._

_ 'Relax! It's only me,' she said, the amusement obvious in her voice. _

_Even in the dark, even at thirty metres distance, the laughing voice and the distinctive blonde hair marked her as Cassandra, Crown Princess of Araluen._

'You should have seen the guards face. He looked like he'd just seen a ghost,' Cassie laughed.

'And that's chapter one finished,' said Pauline an closed the book.

**Ok I wasn't sure what to put on the first chapter as only cassie and a sentry are in it but I promise to make the next ones better … please tell me what you think, were there any mistakes…**


	2. Chapter 2

**Right this is chapter 2 up, thank you for all the people that reviewed or are now following my story. I know that the other one was very short and the people didn't talk much but it was harder that it looks… **

'Who wants to read next?' Asked Pauline. Alyss raised her arm, 'here you go then.' Pauline finished and passed the book to Alyss.

_Chapter 2_

_'It must stop, Cassandra,' Duncan said. _

'Since when has it been Cassandra?' Asked Crowley with an eyebrow raised.

'Only when l make him mad.' Smiled Cassie. Her father looked down at her with fondness.

'Yes but you can be very frustrating sometimes,' Will, wanting to participate, added.

'Shut up Will!' Said Cassie through mock irritation. Will, oblivious to the fact that she was mocking him sat back in his chair; whishing that Alyss had let him bring his cloak.

_He was angry. She could see that. If it hadn't been obvious from the way he paced behind the table in his office, she would have known it from the fact that he called her Cassandra. _

'Oh, Cassandra made his dad angry,' Said Will his confidence back. Cassie was about to say _well you would have made you dad angry mad for all your non-stop talk_ but than stopped herself just before she did. Halt noticed her hesitation and understood what was going thought her mind.

It was Duncan that also comprehended what she was thinking and just then relied what a good Queen she will be. She then found an alterative way of putting it.

'Well I'm sure you made Halt angry.' And smiled at her clever come back.

'You're telling me,' muttered Halt, 'but to be honest Gilan was the worst.'

Gilan faking deep hurt tried to find something to say, 'When have you ever been honest?' was all he could come up with.

_His usual name for her was Cass or Cassie. It was only when he was thoroughly annoyed with her that he used the long form of her name._

_And today, he was thoroughly annoyed with her. He had a full morning's work ahead of him. His desk was littered with petitions and judgements, there was a trade delegation from Teutlandt clamouring for his attention and he had to take time out to deal with a complaint about his daughter's behaviour._

'Just like my desk then,' joked Crowley. Halt studied him for a moment before adding something.

'No your ones worse, really don't know how you can't give rid of some of those old papers.' He paused before adding, 'well it's most likely because of your age, getting too attached to things.' Crowley was gob-smacked.

'Your older then me,' he said finally.

'Even so I age better than you.' And now Crowley was completely lost for words.

_She spread her hands palm out before her a gesture that mixed frustration and explanation in equal parts.'Dad, I was just ...'_

_You were just skulking around the countryside after midnight, stalking an innocent sentry and then frightening the devil out of him with that damn sling of yours! What if you'd hit him, instead of the spear?_

'Maybe he would end up as a drawling idiot like that other man you did it too,' said Horace.

'She did what?' Asked Duncan quite shocked.

'It happens later on just wait.' Cassie told her father.

_ ''I didn't,' she said simply. 'I hit what I aim at. I aimed at the spear head. 'He glared at her and held out his hand._

_ 'Let me have it,' he said and when she cocked her head, not understanding, he added, 'The sling. Let me have it. '_

_He saw the determined set to her jaw before she spoke. 'No,' she said. His eyebrows shot up. _

_'Are you defying me? I am the King, after all.'_

_'I'm not defying you. I'm just not giving you that sling. I made it. It took me a week to get it just right. I've practised with it for months so that I don't miss what I aim at. I'm not handing it over so you can destroy it. Sorry.' She added the last word after a pause._

'Oh how much I used to annoy you dad,' Cassie said with a smile.

'I think you still irritate me,' Duncan pointed out.

'And me,' added Horace.

'Yes Horace, but she's your wife so she got to.' Smiled Alyss.

'God help you when you get married Will,' Horace told Will.

_ 'I'm also your father,' he pointed out. She nodded acceptance of the fact._

_ 'I respect that. But you're angry. And if I hand over my sling to you now, you'll cut it up without thinking, won't you?' He shook his head in frustration and turned away to the window. They were in his study, a large, airy and well-lit room that overlooked the park._

_'I cannot have you stalking around in the dark surprising the sentries,' he said. He could see they had reached an impasse over the matter of the sling and he thought it best to change his point of attack. _

'Being stubborn again Cassie?' Played Horace.

'When am I ever Stubborn?' Said Cassie with mock shock.

_He knew how stubborn his daughter could be. _

'Don't we all?' Pointed out Horace.

'Indeed.' Halt agreed with a raised eyebrow.

_'It's not fair to the men,' he continued. 'This is the third time it's happened and they're getting tired of your silly games. The sergeant of the guard has asked to see me later today and I know what that's going to be about.' _

_He turned back to face her. 'You've put me in a very difficult situation. I'm going to have to apologise to a sergeant. Do you understand how embarrassing that will be? 'He saw the anger in her face fade a little._

_ 'I'm sorry, Father,' she said. She was matching his formality. Normally, she called him Dad. Today it was Cassandra and Father. 'But it's not a silly game, believe me. It's something I need to do. _

'Why?' Asked Sir David, 'you got knights to do that for you.'

'That what I told her.' Duncan told his old friend.

_''Why?' he demanded, with some heat. 'You're the Crown Princess, not some silly peasant girl, for pity's sake! You live in a castle with hundreds of troops to protect you! Why do you need to learn how to sneak around in the dark and use a poacher's weapon?_

_''Dad,' she said, forgetting the formality, 'think about my life so far. I've been pursued by Wargals in Celtica. My escorts were killed and I barely escaped with my life. Then I was captured by Morgarath's army. I was dragged off to Skandia, where l had to survive in the mountains. I could have starved there. After that, I was involved in a full-scale battle. Those hundreds of guards didn't exactly keep me safe then, did they?' _

'No but I had Horace and Will there all the time.' She added.

'And what are a noise knight and a short ranger goanna do to help you?' Asked Halt with all innocence.

'I'm not short!' Shouted Will, trying to up hold his dignity.

'Admit it Will, you're a midget,' Laughed Gilan.

_Duncan made an irritated gesture. 'Well, perhaps not. But'_

_'Let's face it,' Cassandra went on, 'it's a dangerous world and, as Crown Princess, I'm a target for our enemies. I want to be able to defend myself. I don't want to have to rely on other people. Besides ... ' She hesitated and he studied her more closely._

_'Besides?' he queried. Cassandra seemed to consider whether she should say more. Then she took a deep breath, and plunged in._

Everyone, apart from Duncan and Cassie how knew what she had said and Halt because he wasn't bothered, sat forward in their seats.

_'As your daughter, there's going to come a time when I should be able to help you, to share some of your load.'_

_'But you do that! The banquet last week was a triumph ...'_

_She made a dismissive gesture with her hands. 'I don't mean banquets and state occasions and picnics in the park. I mean the important things like going on diplomatic missions in your name, acting as your representative when there are disputes to be settled. The sort of thing you'd expect a son to do for you.'_

_'But you're not my son,' Duncan said. Cassandra smiled a little sadly. She knew her father loved her. But she also knew that a king, any king, hoped for a son to carry on his work._

_'Dad, one day I'll be Queen. Not too soon, I hope,'_

'Completely agree,' Said Will playfully.

'Shut up Will,' Shout Cassie, Will realised that she was telling him to be quite a lot, But then most people do. And most of that truth lies with Halt.

_ she added hastily and Duncan smiled his agreement with the sentiment. 'But when I am, I'll have to do these things and it'll be a little late to start learning at that point._

_ 'Duncan studied her for a long moment. Cassandra was strong willed, he knew. She was brave and capable and intelligent. There was no way she would be content to be a figurehead ruler, letting others make the decisions and do the hard work._

_'Like anyone would ever think that,' mocked Will._

_'When I'm queen I could always have you flogged,' she said with a smile._

_'You're right, I suppose,' he said eventually. 'You should learn to look after yourself. But Sir Richard has been teaching you the sabre. Why bother with the sling and why learn to sneak around unseen'_

_It wasn't uncommon for highborn young ladies to study swordsmanship. Cassandra had been taking lessons from the Assistant Battle master for some months, using a lightweight sabre specially made for her. She turned a pained expression on her father._

_ 'I'm all right with the sabre,' she admitted. 'But I'll never really be an expert and that's what I'd need to be to hold my own against a man with a heavy weapon. _

'Your a lot better than alright Cassie,' Alyss put a pained look at Will and he quickly added, 'same as you Alyss.' There was a small pause, 'I was going to say that Alyss.'

'Of course you were,' and she turned away hiding her smile.

_It's the same with a bow. It takes years of practice to learn to use that properly and I just don't have the time.'_

_The sling is a weapon I already know. I learned to use it as a child. It kept me alive in Skandia. I decided that would be my weapon of choice and I'd develop my basic skills until I was really expert._

_'You could do that on a target range. You don't need to terrorise my sentries,' Duncan said._

_'To true, to true,' said Gilan mocking someone that is wise (if there ever was a person in the world that was). The sad thing for Gilan though was he was sitting opposite from a very, very wise man._

_'You look like a boy that's mimicking his father be clever,' Gilan looked confused so Halt carried on, 'you look and sound like an idiot.' Everyone laughed, apart from poor Gilan how was feeling quit sorry for himself._

_She smiled apologetically. 'I admit I haven't been fair to them. But Geldon said the best way to practise was to make the situation as real as possible.'_

_'Geldon?' Duncan's eyebrows slid together in a frown. Geldon was a retired Ranger who had an apartment of rooms in Castle Araluen. Occasionally, he acted as an adviser to Crowley, the Ranger Corps Commandant. Cassandra flushed as she realised she'd given away more than she intended._

_ 'I asked him for a few pointers on unseen movement,' she confessed, then added hurriedly, 'but he didn't know about the sling, I promise.'_

_'I'll speak to him later,' Duncan said, although he had no doubt she was telling the truth. Geldon wouldn't befool enough to encourage her in the irresponsible practice sessions she'd devised._

'Irresponsible, when have I ever done anything irresponsible?' She asked. Around the room most people took a deep breath and got ready to answered her question. She stopped them just in time, 'don't answer that please.'

_He sat down, breathing deeply for a few seconds to let his anger subside. Then he said in a more reasonable tone, 'Cass, think about it. Your practice sessions could conceivably put you, or the castle itself, in danger.'_

_She cocked her head to one side, not understanding. _

_'Now that the sentries know what you're up to, they might just ignore the occasional noise or sign of movement outside the walls. If they were to see some dark figure creeping through the night, they'd assume it was you. And they might be wrong. What if an enemy agent was trying to infiltrate the castle? That could result in a dead sentry. Would you want that on your conscience?'_

'Yes would you?' Asked Will copying Gilan's voice from earlier.

'Will?'

'Yes Halt.'

'You know that little talk I just had with Gilan?'

'Yep. I should shut up right?'

'You're getting the hang of this now.'

_Cassandra hung her head as she considered what he had said. She realised he was right. 'No,' she said, in a small voice._

_'Or the opposite might happen. One of these nights, a sentry might see someone stalking him and not realise it was only the Crown Princess. You could get killed yourself._

_ 'She opened her mouth to protest but he stopped her with a raised hand. 'I know you think you're too skilled for that. But think about it. What would happen to the man who killed you? Would you want him to live with that on his conscience?'_

'What would happen if that happened?' Asked Cassie to her father.

'I don't know really,' He started, 'most princess are content to sit in a castle all day.'

'Not Cassie, you could never do that.' Added Horace.

She turned around to face him and with an eyebrow raised said, 'am I really that unroyal to you.'

'No, Horace's idea of unroyal lays with how he described Halt when he said he was a king's brother.' Will told Cassie, only just holding back a laugh.

_''I suppose not,' she said glumly and he nodded, seeing that the lesson had been learned. 'Then I want you to stop these dangerous games of yours.' Again she went to protest but he rode on over her. 'If you must practise, let Geldon work out a proper plan for you. I'm sure he'd be willing to help and it might be harder to slip by him than a few sleepy sentries.'_

'It's really hard to get past him I have only just managed it,' Cassie huffed.

_Cassandra's face widened in a smile as she realised that far from confiscating her sling, her father had just given his permission for her to continue her weapons practice._

_'Thanks, Dad,' she said, the eagerness obvious in her voice. 'I'll get started with him later today.' But Duncan was already shaking his head._

_'There's time for that later. Today I need your help planning a trip an official trip. I want you to decide who should accompany us. And you'll probably need to have new clothes made as well proper travelling outfits and formal gowns, not that tunic and tights you're wearing. You say you want to help, so here's your chance. You organise everything.'_

'What's the need for so much stuff?' Halt asked, he couldn't see any reason what so ever why they need so many clothes.

_She nodded, frowning slightly as she thought over the preparations she'd have to make, the details she'd have to arrange. An official royal trip took a lot of planning and involved a lot of people. She was in for a busy couple of weeks, she realised._

'Official trip! What a lode of nonsense,' chuffed Halt.

'Well I would expect you to understand, you only grow up as a prince,' Duncan told his friend, Halt in reply raised his eyedrow.

_ But she was glad that his attention had been diverted from his order for her to hand over the sling._

_'When are we going?' she asked. 'And where to?' She'd need to know how far they were travelling so she could organise their overnight stops along the way._

_'In three weeks time,' the King told her. 'We've been invited to a wedding at Castle Redmont on the fourteenth of next month.'_

_'Redmont?' she repeated, her interest obviously piqued by the name. 'Who's getting married at Redmont?'_

_'So that was a good chapter, how wants to read next?' Asked Alyss, three people raised their arms._

_'Why don't we go around the table.' Answered Pauline, 'Halt why don't you go next?'_

**Ok there we have it was anyone OOC or were there any mistakes? Or just tell me if it was good or bad… pleaseJ**


	3. Chapter 3

**Right sorry sorry sorry i no i'm terrible to you guys and if you wanna read why i'm going to disappoint you cose i have no reason just couldn't be asked(i'm so lazy.**

**Anyway, on wards and forwards i would like to thank the great and wonderful Savannah Silverstone and the amazing RangerSargey and the two fabulous guests for reviewing the last chapter...**

'_Why don't we go around the table.' Answered Pauline, 'Halt why don't you go next?'_

'Me?' Halt said raising his eyebrows at the same time.

'Why not?' Asked Pauline.

'I don't read,' Halt said with great death to his words.

'Since when, your always reading Crowley's reports,' added Will with a smug smile.

'It's a completely different thing Will. And I'm not reading.' Said Halt crossing his arms in front of his chest.

'Fine,' Pauline said and passed the book to Will.

_Chapter 3_

_Halt ran his fingers through his shaggy hair as he studied the list of names. 'Gorlog's beard!' he said, using a Skandian oath he had become quite fond of. 'How many people are here?'_

'Oh a little touchy on numbers are we.' Said Gilan with the confidence of someone sitting on the other side of the room from Halt.

'Shut up or-' Halt started.

'Or what Halt?' Asked Pauline calmly.

'Nothing.' Halt replied quickly but sent a warning glance to Gilan anyway.

_Lady Pauline watched him serenely. 'Two hundred and three,' she said calmly._

_He looked up from the list, appalled. 'Two hundred and three?' he repeated and she nodded. He shook his head and dropped the sheet of parchment on her desk. 'Well, we're going to have to pare it down,' he said._

_Pauline frowned slightly in concentration as she considered_ _his statement. 'We could possibly get rid of the three,' she said. 'I'm not sure that I really need the Iberian ambassador and his two idiot daughters at my wedding.'_

'Yes they drove me mad last time the came here.' Then using a Iberian accent Cassie said, '_Oh and that's not blue its sky blue_ and _to go out I the woods in trousers is unlady like _and _Blr de blr de da _ the just never shut up.' She said with some heat.

_She took a quill and scored out the_ _last three names on the list, then looked up at_ _him and smiled brightly. 'There All done. Wasn't that easy?' _

'If only things were that easy.' Crowley said thinking about all his paper work that need to be done.

Pauline smiled, 'Yes but it was not that easy, as you put it, was it Halt.' The smile had never reached he eyes.

_Halt shook his head distractedly, taking the list again and scanning through it. 'But... two hundred people? Do we really_ _need two hundred people to get married?'_

_They're not getting married, dear. We_ _are,' she said, deliberately misunderstanding him. He scowled at her._ _Normally, Halt's scowl was a fearsome thing. But it held no terrors_ _for Lady Pauline. She raised one eyebrow at him and he realised he_ _might as well drop the_ _scowl. _

'All of a sudden everyone can now do my eyebrow move.' Halt said with some annoyance.

'Well everyone but Horace anyway.' Will added.

'I can raise my eyebrow.' Horace said with some heat.

'Of course you can dear.' Said Cassie trying very hard not to laugh at her husband.

_He went back to_ _the list, jabbing_ _his forefinger at_ _one section._

_'I mean ... I suppose the_ _King_ _has to come,' he_ _began._

_'Of course he does. You are one of his oldest advisers,' she pointed out. 'And Evanlyn well, Cassandra. She's a friend. But who are_ _all these others? There must be fifteen in the royal party!'_

'Fifteens not that bigger number Halt,' said will.

'Yes but add two-hundred more people and there you have it.' Halt told Will.

'You mean add one-hundred and eighty five halt.' Said Gilan grinning.

'I was rounding it up as Will was never good at his numbers.'

'I am,' Sid Will.

'No your not,' added Horace.

'Your worse then me!'

'Am not.'

'You are'

'Not'

'Are'

'What about the maths lesson we had.'

'What about it?'

'You were worse then me.'

'Was not'

'Yes you were'

'Not'

'Were'

'Not'

'Am not.'

'You are'

'Not'

'Are'

'SHUT UP!' shouted Halt his face read and very angry. Will and Horace complied.

'_Seventeen,' Lady_ _Pauline said. 'After all, the King_ _can't travel without his retinue. He and Cassandra can't just hop on their horses and turn up one_ _day saying, "We're here_ _for the wedding. Where do_ _we sit?" There's a certain amount of protocol involved.'_

'_Protocol!' Halt snorted derisively. 'What a_ _load of rubbish!' _

'Yep you think that protocol is dum I have to live in a world of it,' said Cassie.

'Cassie,' said her father disapproval clear in his voice.

'Sorry but its true'

'Look Halt you've got my daughter thinking like that too.' Said Duncan to Halt.

'I just that amazing,' Halt told everyone in the room.

_'Halt,' said the elegant diplomat, 'when you asked me to marry you, did you think we could just sneak off to_ _a glade in the woods with a_ _few close friends and get it done?' _

_Halt hesitated. 'Well, no ... of course not.' As a matter of fact, that was exactly what he_ _had_ _thought. A simple ceremony, a few friends, some good food and drink and then he and Pauline would be a couple. But he felt that it might not be wise to admit that right now. _

_The engagement of the grizzled Ranger and the_ _beautiful Lady Pauline had been_ _the talk of Redmont Fief for some weeks now. _

_People were amazed and delighted that this seemingly ill-matched, but well-respected, pair was to become man and wife. It was something to wonder about, to gossip about. Little else had been discussed in the Redmont dining hall for weeks. _

'One hears much gossip from there, but many are largely put into a bigger perspective.' Said Pauline.

'What like the story of a _seven foot tall ranger?' _Asked Will.

''Who can shoot arrows out of his eyes!' Added Halt. Then in answer to questionable look in everyone's eyes he added, 'new one I heard.'

'And you say I'm be headed,' Will told him.

'Yours is and it shows.'

'Well yours just hides behind your shaggy hair. It's like Tugs hair.' Will said.

'You're comparing me to your horse .' Halt said will a raised eyebrow.

'Nooooooooooooo-'Said Will trying to cover up his little slip.

'You better not be or-'

'Halt what have I told you about treating apprentices.' Asked Pauline.

'Sorry.'

_There were those who pretended not to be surprised. _

_Baron Arald of Redmont was one of them. 'Always knew_ _it!' he told anyone who_ _would listen. 'Always knew there was something going on with those two! Saw it coming_ _years ago! Knew it before they_ _did, probably.'_

'That's just so like his isn't it?' Said Horace in a questionable tone.

'If you new if "that's just so like him" why did you put it into a question?' asked Halt.

'Halt,' Will started slowly.

'Yes Will,' he replied.

'Well you know the thing about people not answering back with questions.'

'Yes.'

'You just did it,' Will finished with a big grin.

'Shut up Will.'

_And indeed, there had been occasional vague rumours over the years that Halt and Pauline had been something_ _more than friends in the_ _past. But_ _the majority of people_ _had dismissed such talk. And neither Halt nor Pauline ever said anything about the matter. When it came to keeping secrets, few people could be more tight-lipped than_ _Rangers and_ _members of the_ _Diplomatic Service. _

'Yes I noticed some of that myself.' Said the king.

'Well we don't have to tell you everything.' Said Crowley.

Duncan glared at him,' Yes but it can be very annoying.'

_But there came a day when Halt_ _realised that time was slipping past with increasing speed. Will, his apprentice,_ _was in his_ _final year of training. In a few months he would be due for graduation and promotion to the Silver Oakleaf the insignia of a_ _fully fledged Ranger. And that meant_ _Will_ _would be moving away from Redmont._ _He would be_ _assigned a fief of_ _his own and Halt sensed that his day-to-day life, so full of energy and_ _diversion with Will around, would become alarmingly empty. As the_ _realisation had_ _grown, he had unconsciously sought the company_ _of Lady Pauline with increasing frequency._

_She, in her turn, had seen_ _his growing_ _need for company and affection. A Ranger's life tended to be_ _a lonely one and one that he could discuss with few people. As a Courier, privy too many of the secrets of the fief and the Kingdom they both served, Pauline was one of those few. Halt could relax in her company. They could discuss each other's work and give counsel to each other. And there was, in fact, a certain history between them an understanding, some might call_ _it which went back to a time when they were both younger. _

'When Halt was young? Why I couldn't even image a young Halt your always so old,' said Gilan with a brooded smile.

'Yes a just how old do you think I am?' Halt asked with a raised eyebrow. Everyone in the room knew that Halt's age was a touchy subject and so they also all knew Gilan was treading on a very thin line.

Gilan still smiling replied, 'close to one hundred it'd say.' Halt being Halt walked very quickly over to Gilan grabbed him be the neck and pulled him outside the door.

About ten minutes later Gilan and Halt walked through the door. Gilan looked fine but still kept looking at Halt every now and then just in case.

_To put it plainly, Lady_ _Pauline had loved Halt for many years. Quietly and patiently, she had waited,_ _knowing that one day he would propose. Knowing_ _also that, when he_ _did, this incredibly shy and_ _retiring man would view the_ _prospect of_ _a very_ _public wedding with absolute horror._

'I'm not shy!' Said Halt.

'You are, isn't that right Gilan?' Asked Will looking at his tall friend.

'No of course not,' said Gilan quickly avoiding Halts eyes and Will's for that matter.

_'Who's this?' he said, coming_ _across a name he didn't recognise. 'Lady_ _Georgina of_ _Sandalhurst? Why are we inviting her? I don't know_ _her. Why_ _are we_ _asking people we don't know?'_

_'I know her,' Pauline replied. There was a certain steeliness in her voice_ _that Halt would have done_ _well to recognise. 'She's my aunt. Bit of an old stick, really, but I have to invite her.'_

'Don't worry my aunt was an old stick too, she was always babbling along about something no one cared about.' Cassie said, then remembering that she was taking about the dad's sister and he happened to be in the room added, 'but she had a nice side too.'

'It didn't work.' The king told her.

_'You've never mentioned her before,' Halt challenged._

_'True. I don't like her very much. As I said, she's a bit of an old stick._

_''Then why are we inviting her?' _

_'We're inviting her,' Lady Pauline explained, 'because Aunt Georgina has spent the_ _last twenty years_ _bemoaning the fact that I was unmarried. "Poor Pauline!" she'd cry to anyone who'd listen. "She'll_ _be a lonely old maid! Married to her job! She'll_ _never find a husband to look after her!" It's just too good an opportunity to miss.'_

Every one in the room was wise enough to not say anything, Pauline was a very peaceful person but when she was angry, well.

_.'Halt's eyebrows came together in a frown. There might be a few things that would annoy him more than someone criticising the woman he loved, but for the_ _moment, he couldn't think of one._

_'Agreed,' he_ _said. 'And let's sit her_ _with the most boring people possible at_ _the wedding feast.' _

_'Good thinking,' Lady Pauline said. She made a_ _note on another sheet_ _of paper. 'I'll make her the first person on the Bores' Table._

'"The Bores Table?" Never heard of such a thing,' Said Duncan.

'See I told you he was week there as well as you Halt.' Pauline told Halt.

'What?' Asked Duncan.

'Its later on in the story.' Halt told the king.

_''The Bores' Table?' Halt said. 'I'm not sure I've_ _heard the term.'_

_'Every wedding has to have a Bores' Table,' his fiancée explained patiently. 'You take all the boring, annoying, bombastic people and sit them together. That way, they all bore each other and they don't bother the normal people you've asked.'_

'Bombastic, I like that word not sure I've heard the name before. Can I use it?' Horace asked Pauline.

'Oh look is the bombastic prince Horace.' Said Halt.

_''Wouldn't it be simpler to just ask people you like?' Halt asked. 'Except Aunt Georgina, of course, there's a good reason to ask her. But why ask other bores?'_

_'It's a family thing,' Lady Pauline said, adding a second and_ _third name to the_ _Bores' Table as she thought of them. 'You have_ _to ask_ _family and_ _every family has its share of_ _annoying bores. It's just part of organising a wedding.'_

_Halt dropped into a_ _carved_ _armchair, sitting_ _slightly sideways with one leg hooked_ _up over the arm. 'I thought weddings were supposed to be joyous occasions,' he muttered._

'How would you know a "_joyous occasions" _Halt? You're never joyful.' Mocked Alyss.

'He can be very "_joyous" _you should see him drunk,' Said Crowley.

'No thanks, I've had more then enough drunken Halt's in my time.' Duncan grimaced.

_'They are so long as you have a Bores' Table.' She smiled. She was about to add that he was lucky he_ _didn't have family to invite, but she checked the statement in time. Halt hadn't seen any members of his family in over twenty years and she sensed that, deep down, the fact saddened him._

_'The thing is,' she went on,_ _veering away from the_ _subject of families, 'now that_ _the King is involved, the whole thing takes on a certain formality. There are people who must be invited_ _nobles, knights and their ladies, local dignitaries, village councillors and the_ _like. They'd_ _never_ _forgive us_ _if we robbed_ _them of the chance to rub shoulders with royalty.'_

_'I really don't give a fig if they don't forgive me,' he said. 'Over the years, most of them have_ _gone out of their way to avoid me.'_

'I heard of that myself, _Say away from the ranger Halt, he'll kill with his bad temper,_' Will said with a smile.

'I don't have a temper.' Halt replied.

_Lady Pauline leaned forward and touched his arm gently. 'Halt, it'll be the_ _high point_ _in their lives for some of them. After_ _all, nothing much happens in the_ _country. Would you really want_ _to deprive_ _them of a_ _little bit of colour and glamour in their humdrum existence? I know I wouldn't.'_

_He sighed, realising_ _she was right. He also realised that he_ _might have been protesting a little too much. He was beginning to sense that_ _the prospect_ _of a big formal wedding might not be_ _as objectionable to_ _Pauline as it was to him. He couldn't understand the sentiment but if that was what she wanted, that was what he would give her. _

'"Protesting a little too much" doesn't quite cover it I think.' Said Lady Pauline.

'Yes but he does like protesting a lot,' Crowley added.

_'No. You're right, of course.'_

_'Now,' she continued, recognising that he had capitulated and grateful to him for the fact, 'have you chosen a best man?'_

_'Will, of course,' he_ _said promptly._

_'Not Crowley? He's your oldest friend.' She was_ _aware, if he was_ _not, that assigning official roles was a_ _perilous_ _matter. _

'What does perilous mean?' asked Horace.

'Ha ha you really are stupid,' Will told him.

'Fine you tell Horace what perilous means then,' Halt told him.

'Um…'

'As I thought.'

_Halt frowned. 'True. But Will is special. He's more like a son_ _to me, after all.'_

'_Of course. But we'll have to find a role for Crowley.'_

'_He could give the bride away,' Halt suggested. Pauline considered, chewing on the_ _end of_ _her quill._

_'I think Baron Arald assumes he'll be doing that. Hmmm_ _Tricky.' She thought for a few_ _moments, then came to a_ _decision. 'Crowley_ _can give me away. Arald can perform the wedding. That's solved!' She made two_ _more notes on her growing list._

'So many notes,' Halt complained.

_In Araluen, marriage was a state ceremony, not a religious one. It was normal for the senior official present to_ _perform the ritual. Halt cleared his throat, making a great effort to keep a_ _straight face._

'Why would you have to keep a straight face? You never smile anyway?' Asked Horace.

'Well Horace if you let Will read you might find out.' Halt pointed out.

_'Wouldn't protocol,' he said with mock concern, 'demand that_ _the King do that?' _

_A frown creased Pauline's elegant features as she realised he was right. He was also altogether too pleased with himself. The innocent look in his eyes confirmed it._

_'Damn!' she said. It didn't seem strong enough so she borrowed his oath,_ _'Gorlog's teeth!' She drummed her fingers on the desk top in annoyance._

_'That's beard,' Halt said mildly._

'I still think Gorlog's beard is better,' Halt told everyone in the room.

'No I'm not to sure,' Will started, 'quite like Gorlog's teeth.'

'Shut up Will,' Halt said to him.

_'He's got both,_ _so I hear,' she_ _said. Then inspiration struck her. 'I know. We'll invite King Duncan_ _to be Patron-Sponsor of the event. That should do the trick!_

_''What does a_ _Patron-Sponsor do?' Halt asked and she shrugged the_ _question aside._

_'Not sure. I only just invented_ _the position. But Duncan_ _won't know. His grasp of protocol is nearly as weak as yours._

'Now I take complete offence at that,' commented Duncan.

'Well, it's true so what's the problem?' Teased Cassie.

_It'll be a sort of_ _glorified Master of Ceremonies for the_ _whole thing. It'll lend a certain ..._ _royal cachet to our union. Hmm, that's rather good,' she_ _muttered. 'I'll write that down.'_

'You write everything down.' Halt complained.

'You complain too much,' Pauline replied

_She did so, making a mental note that she'd have_ _to square the King's Chamberlain with the_ _concept_ _of Patron-Sponsor. But Lord Anthony was an old friend._

_'Now, who else? Have we_ _missed anybody?'_

_'Horace?' Halt suggested. She nodded immediately. 'We'll make him an usher,' she said, writing furiously. _

'You missed me out?' said Horace.

'No I forgot you.' He told him.

'But missed and forgot mean the same thing.'

'That's what he meant.' Will told Horace.

_'Is that another one you just made up?' he asked and she looked up, offended._

_'Of course not. It's official. You know: "Friend of the_ _bride? Friend of_ _the groom? Sit to the_ _left, sit to_ _the right, an usher.'_

_Halt frowned. 'I keep_ _thinking we're missing someone ..._ _'Pauline slapped her_ _hand against her_ _forehead._

_'Gilan!' she said. 'He'll be awfully hurt_ _if we don't give him an official role.' Halt clicked his teeth_ _in annoyance. _

Gilan turned to Halt, 'you forgot me too. I'm deeply hurt you know.'

Halt snorted, 'you're easy to forget.'

'That's not what you said when you got that letter about…' started Will.

'Yes, yes, what about it?' Replied Halt quickly.

'Well you were walking around the cabin for about two weeks saying that Gil is stuck in your head, he gave you most of your grey hair's and how the fact that-' Smiled Will.

'I think I get the point,' replied Halt.

_She was right. Gilan was tall, cheerful, loyal and_ _Halt's previous apprentice._ _They would have to_ _find something_ _for him._

'Well we didn't _have_ to find something for him to do.' Halt added and the let a small smile escape at Gilan's hurt look.

_'Can I have two best men?' he suggested._

_'No. But you can have_ _an extra_ _groomsman. Good thinking! That means I'll_ _have to_ _find an extra bridesmaid. I was just going to have Alyss.'_

_'Well,' said Halt, pleased that he_ _was becoming better at this, 'that'll give Cassandra something to do.'_

_He was surprised to see_ _a quick frown flash across Pauline's countenance. She had a_ _shrewd idea that_ _Alyss, her assistant, would be less than thrilled to have Princess Cassandra at the_ _wedding table with her and Will. Better if she were kept at a _

_distance for the evening, on the Royal Patron-Sponsor's table._

'I think that a bit of an over view of my execration,' Alyss said.

'It isn't,' Halt replied, remembering the time when the two girls were fighting each other with there swords.

_'No-o-o,' she said at length. 'We can't have that. As a royal princess, she'd take focus away from the bride.'_

_'Well, we definitely can't_ _have that!' Halt agreed._

'Yes we can't have that!' Cassie laughed.

_'Perhaps young Jenny, if Chubb can spare her. After all, she and Alyss and Will were all raised together.'_

_She made yet_ _another_ _note, finding a fresh sheet_ _of paper_ _to do_ _so. The list was growing. So much to get organised._

_A thought struck her._ _Without looking up, she said: 'You will be getting a haircut, won't you?'_

'Well this is sounding good.' Crowley smiled.

'Shut up Crowley,' Halt told him back.

'I really would like it if you would stop telling people to shut up dear.' Pauline told Halt.

'Sorry.'

_Halt ran his hand through his hair once more. It_ _was getting a little long, he thought. 'I'll give it a trim,' he said, his hand dropping unconsciously to the hilt of his saxe knife. _

_This time, Pauline did look up from her writing. 'You'll get a haircut,' she said and Halt realised that certain freedoms he had taken for granted over the years might be his no more._

_'I'll get a_ _haircut,' he agreed._

'Well that's jokes,' Will told everyone, 'anyway, Crowley your next.' Will finished passing the book to Crowley.

**Yer the endings a bit stupid but there we have it please tell me what you think...!:D**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hay guys how ya doing? Yer I know I have been like dead for ages but stuff happened and I had to like die… sooooooooooooooooooooooo anyway this update is like the Erak chapter so I couldn't think of what they would say. bear with me bros I need to get back it to the writing mood… :P**

_Chapter 4_

_'Take in the sail,' said Erak, Oberjarl of Skandia and, presently, captain of the raiding ship Wolfwind. _

'This chapter doesn't have me in it. Can we jump forward,' complained Gilan.

'Shut up,' Halt said and carried on.

_Svengaland a small party of sail handlers were standing ready beside the mast. At his order, they released the halyards that kept the massive yardarm in position and began to lower it to the deck. As the big square sail collapsed, no longer held in position to capture the onshore breeze three other men gathered it quickly into neat folds so it could be stowed in the for'ard sail locker._

_'_But Halt-'Gilan started again.

'Didn't I just tell you to shut up,' asked Halt.

_ The yard itself was detached from the mast and swung carefully, avoiding any excess clattering or bumping, into its fore and aft stowage position along the raised decking between the twin rows of rowers' benches. Normally, the Skandians would not have been so careful about keeping noise to a minimum during such an operation. But this wasn't a normal occasion. This was a raid. _

_'_'OHHHHHHHH,' said Cassandra, and got given strange looks, 'man I'm just doing sound effects.'

'No,' said Halt completely regretting taking the book.

_With the last of the way still on the ship, Erak swung the bow to port, running parallel to the low-lying coastline of Arrida, barely thirty metres away._

'Oh so this is how he got himself captured,' said Horace more to himself. Everyone else rolled their eyes in a _that's obvious _way.

_ 'Out oars,' he said, in the same low voice. Then he added, 'and be quiet about it, for Torrak's sake.'_

'Who's Torrak?' asked Crowley.

'He's a God now shut-'started Halt.

'Yes yes shut up.' Crowley finished.

_One of the useful aspects about the Skandian religion, he mused, was the multiplicity of gods, demigods and minor demons one could call upon to emphasise an order. _

'See Crowley if you let me read it explains its self,' said Halt.

_With almost exaggerated care,_

'Skandian's are never careful,' muttered Horace.

'Nether are you,' Will shot back.

_ the burly rowing crew un stowed their oars and laid them into the holes that lined both sides of the ship. There was nothing but a few muted clunks and rattles to mark the movement but, even so, Erak gritted his teeth. _

'Not as if he's ever quiet,' muttered Halt.

_Although it was usually a deserted part of the Arridi coast, there was always the chance that a solitary shepherd or rider might be within earshot, ready to pass word that a Skandian wolfship was slipping quietly through the pre-dawn darkness towards the town of Al Shabah. _

'What kind of name is Al Shabah?' asked Crowley.

'What kind of name is Crowley?' asked Halt.

_There was a risk involved in coming in so close to the shoreline, he knew. But it was the lesser of two risks. They'd kept a steady south-east course through the night, driven by the unwavering northerly breeze that blew towards the coast at this time of year. Borne along by the wind, Erak had sailed in close to the land, inside a huge bay that took a bite out of the coastline. On the eastern end of the bay, on a raised promontory, stood the township of Al Shabah. By placing his ship inside the bay, and inland of the spot where the town stood, Erak knew he would be screened by the dark land mass behind him. _

_'_Ohhhhhhhhhhh-' Started Cassandra, 'Sorry.' She said after Halt shot her a _I will kill you _glare.

_Also, as the sun slowly rose, which it would be doing in about another forty minutes, his ship would still be in darkness, while the promontory and town, to the east of his position, would be illuminated._

_He could have turned towards Al Shabah while they were still further out to sea, avoiding the risk of being spotted from the coast. But that would have increased the risk of being seen from the town itself. _

'This chapter still doesn't have me in it,' complained Gilan.

'Or me,' added Will.

'And without us it won't me as amazing,' Gilan said.

Halt rolled his eyes and carried on.

_Even by night, Wolfwind would have been a darker shadow on the steely grey surface of the sea. _

'I swear the seas blue,' said Crowley.

'I would prefer if you didn't swear Crowley, there are little people her,' Halt said casting a look at Will.

'I'm not a kid,' muttered Will.

'I wasn't talking about your age but more your height,' said Halt.

'Your short too,' said Will.

'I'm still taller than you,' Halt said with the tiniest smile.

_And the closer they drew to the town, the greater the risk of being discovered would have become._

_ No, it was safer this way. To lower the sail and creep along close inshore, concealed by the dark mass of the land behind them. He shook away the distracting thoughts. He was out of practice to be wool-gathering at a time like this._

_'Ready to give way,' he whispered._

'I can assure you his 'Whisper' is not a whisper,' said Halt.

_The order was relayed along the rowing benches. The twin rows of oars-men had their eyes glued on him. He raised one hand then lowered it and the oars dipped into the water, to begin the task of dragging Wolfwind towards her destination._

_Erak felt the tiller come to life _

'But it's not real,' said Gilan.

'Yes we all know that,' Crowley muttered.

_under his hand as the trow-waisted hull began to slip through the sea. Velets slapped and gurgled against her oaken sides and a gentle hiss rose from where her prow cut through the black water, raising a small curl of phosphorescent _

'What does phosphorescent mean?' asked Gilan.

'Emitting light without appreciable heat as by slow oxidation of phosphorous,' said Halt.

'Oh, and what does that mean?' asked Gilan again.

'Doesn't matter,' muttered Halt.

_white. It was good to be back raiding again, he thought contentedly. Life as Oberjarl had its attractions, he had to admit._

_It was pleasant to receive a twenty per cent share of all that the raiding fleet brought in to Hallasholm. But he had been born to be a sea raider, not a tax collector administrator. Several years of sitting around the Great Hall at Hallasholm, going over receipts and estimates with Borsa,_

'Yes I can understand that Borsa is so annoying,' said Will.

_ his hilfmann, had left him bored and feeling the need for distraction. Whereas his predecessor, Ragnak, could look at tax levied on ships' captain's and inland farmers with an undisguised acquisitive glee, Erak felt vaguely uncomfortable with the amounts that were piling up in his coffers. As a wolfship captain, his sympathies had always lain more with those who might seek to evade paying their full tax rather than the Oberjarl and the eagle-eyed hilfmann who levied it._

'What's a hilfmann?' asked Gilan.

'Really Gilan' asked Halt.

'Hum I'm only joking Halt,' muttered Gilan.

'Sure,' Halt told him.

_Eventually, he had dropped a massive pile of scrolls, estimates, returns, harvest figures and detailed inventories of goods and booty captured by his jarls into Borsa's lap and announced that he was going raiding again._

_ 'Just one last raid,' he said to the indignant hilfmann. 'I'll go mad if I sit here behind this desk any longer. I need to be back at sea.'_

'Don't understand how he or anyone can like the sea,' muttered Halt.

Cleverly no one said anything in reply.

_ Reluctantly, Borsa conceded the point. He had never been the warrior type himself. He was an administrator and he was very good at his job. _

'Talk about big heads Halt,' muttered Crowley.

'If you're still talking about that archery thing I won fair and square,' Halt told his friend.

'no you didn't as I said the wind was pushing against my arrow,' Crowley said.

'Sorry what are you to talking about?' asked Pauline.

'Basically Me and Halt were trying to see who had a better-' Crowley started.

'Maybe another time,' said Halt clamping a hand over Crowley's mouth.

_He never understood why the big, ruffian-like sea captains who were invariably elected Oberjarl didn't share his passion for studying figures and detecting undeclared income. But he knew they didn't. Even Ragnak, in the early days of his rule, had continued to go on occasional raids. It was only later, when he became lazy and a little avaricious, _

'That's an understatement,' muttered Will.

_that he found enjoyment in remaining at Hallasholm and counting his riches, over and over again._

_Erak then sent for Svengal, his former second in command who had taken over the helm of Wolfwind, and informed him that he was assuming command again, for one more raid. Some men might have been displeased by the prospect of being demoted to first mate. But Svengal was delighted to see Erak back in control. The two men were good friends and Svengal knew that Erak was by far the better navigator._

_So here they were, off the Arrida coast, approaching the small trading town of Al Shabah. _

'I still think it's a stupid name,' said Crowley.

_Al Shabah was one of the towns that provided supplies, equipment, timber, cordage and rope to ships entering the ConstantSea. It was an unremarkable place, built on a promontory above a small beach, with a man-made harbour on the northern side, accessed by stairs. At this time of year, ships of the trading fleets had begun to make their way into the ConstantSea in increasing numbers, stringing trade goods from the islands to the south-west in the EndlessOcean._

_As they came, they stopped at Al Shabah, or one of its sister townships, to replenish water, food and firewood and to repair any damage caused by storms. When they sailed out of the harbour, they left behind a bewildering variety of gold coin and bullion they had used to pay their bills. Every so often, in response to a secret message from the town, an armed caravan from the inland mital of Mararoc would arrive and collect the treasure _

'Yay treasure,' Gilan shouted randomly.

'Shut up,' Halt glared at him.

'But treasure's shinny,' Gilan said, quite demented.

_from the towns, taking it back to the Etntikirs vaults. The first caravan of the year was due in another two weeks, Erak knew. The schedule was a closely guarded secret, for obvious reasons. If potential attackers had known whether the treasure had been removed or not, it reduced the risk of attack. No right-minded pirate would risk his life in the hope that there might be treasure in the town's strongroom. Secrecy and uncertainty were Al Shabah's best defence particularly when, the alternative would mean maintaining a large and expensive garrison for the entire year. _

'Ohhhhhhhhh,' muttered Cassandra not thinking before she said it.

Halt reached out his hand and clamped it over her mouth as well.

_But secrets can be uncovered, and a week earlier, eighty kilometres down the coast, Erak had paid an informant forty reels of silver to gain a copy of the schedule. It told him that while other towns had already been emptied of their riches, Al Shabah's coffers were still temptingly full and would remain so for some days to come._

'Money, money, money,' Shouted Gilan, 'Money is shinny.'

'Sometimes I wonder if it's the parents fault,' said Halt staring at David.

'I have know idea,' David said shaking his head.

_There was a small standing garrison in the town no more than forty men. Forty sleepy, overweight, _

'Lol,' shouted Alyss.

'Question,' said Halt.

'Yes,' nodded Alyss.

'What does Lol mean?' Halt asked.

'He's so old,' Alyss said sharing a look with the mouthless princess.

_comfortable Arridi townsmen, who hadn't fought a real engagement in twenty years or more, wouldn't provide much resistance to thirty yelling, fiendish, bloodthirsty, gold-crazed Skandians who would come screaming up from the beach like the hounds of hell._

_Peering though the darkness ahead, Erak could see the lighter patch of land that marked a small sand beach at the foot of the promontory. High above, the white buildings of the town itself were also becoming distinguishable. There were no lights, he noticed. No beacons or even torches to illuminate the path of the sentries who must be patrolling. He shrugged. Not a bad idea, he thought. A burning torch might make a sentry feel safe and secure but it ruined his night vision and made it almost impossible to see anything beyond the few metres illuminated by the torch._

'To true,' muttered Crowley.

'How would you know anything about eye sight Crowley? Your as blind as a bat,' said Halt.

'Halt that's not nice,' Crowley said crossing his arms.

_Once again he recognised the wisdom of his decision to approach from the inland side, with the sail lowered._

_He could hear the gentle breaking of waves on the beach now. There was no surf to speak of, just small wavelets tumbling over themselves. Swinging the tiller smoothly, he set the ship on a forty-five-degree approach to the sand. He raised his free hand, palm up, in a prearranged signal and sixteen oars rose dripping out of the water. There was an occasional grunt of exertion _

'Halt? What does exertion mean?' asked Gilan.

'Don't ask me two questions at a time,' Halt said.

'But I didn't. Did I?' Gilan questioned.

'You just asked another question,' said Halt rolling his eyes.

'Lol,' added Alyss.

'No didn't,' shouted Gilan.

'Yes you did and stop with the Lol,' Halt shouted back.

'Wait what was my original question,' asked Gilan.

'I give up,' shouted Halt.

'Lol,' shouted Crowley too.

_as the rowers lifted their oars to the vertical and then carefully lowered them, to stow them alongside the rowing benches. One or two clattered noisily, the sound seeming to be magnified by the silence around them. Erak glared at the offending oarsmen. He'd speak to them later when he could speak more forcefully than the present situation allowed._

'Lol,' shouted Alyss.

Halt reached out his other arm and clamped it over Alyss mouth.

_There was a grating sound from for'ard and he felt a dragging vibration through the soles of his feet as the keel ran onto the sand. Four men were poised on the bow gunwales, about to leap into the shallow water and make the ship secure. _

_'Go easy, line handlers!' Svenal whispered hoarsely._

'He's not a horse he can't say anything hoarsely,' shouted Gilan.

Everyone but him and Halt, because his hand were out two peoples mouths, face palmed.

_ The men, who would normally have dropped noisily to the knee-deep water, remembered at the last moment and lowered themselves carefully. _

_Taking two bow ropes with them, they ran up the beach, feet squeaking on the sand, and hauled the ship a little further up onto dry land. They secured the bow ropes into the sand with hinge-laded sand grapnels, then faced inland, hands on their battleaxes, alert for any sign of attack. _

The muffled sound of 'ohhhhhhhhh,' came from behind one of Halts hands.

_Erak peered up at the town above them. Still there was no sound of any alarm, no sign of guards or patrols. The white washed buildings, looking almost ghostly in the pre-dawn light, loomed silently above the wolfship. _

_More men were lowering themselves over the bow now, and others were carefully unstowing shields and battleaxes from beside the rowing benches and passing them down to others, who took them with exaggerated care_

'Lol,' shouted Horace.

Halt whished he had more hands.

_and piled them on the beach above the high waterline. The shields, which were kept stowed on the outer gunwales along the length of the ship, had been covered with dark cloth to make them less conspicuous. The men now stripped this off, found their respective weapons and stood ready for their captain._

_Erak passed his shield and axe down to one of the men standing in the shallow water then lowered himself over the gunwale_

'What's a gunwale?' asked Gilan.

'Shut up,' shouted Halt.

_as well. He stretched down to arms' length and released his grip, falling only a few centimetres before his feet hit the wet sand. He took his shield and axe back from his crewman and moved tow here the thirty men of the attack party stood lined up. The four line handlers who had been first to land would remain with the ship._

_Erak couldn't help smiling as he felt a small thrill of adrenaline course through him. It was good to be back, he thought._

_ 'Remember,' he told the raiding party, 'keep the noise to an absolute minimum. Watch where you're putting your feet. I don't want you missing your step and sliding down the hill in your own personal, avalanche. _

'Lol,' shouted Horace again but this time with food in his mouth with sprayed everywhere.

_We want to get as close as we can before they spot us. With any luck, and from the look of things, we'll be in side the town before anyone raises the alarm.'_

_He paused, looking round the tough bearded faces _

'Hahahaha they have beards,' shouted Gilan.

'And what is wrong with having a beard?' asked Halt.

'Nothing,' said Gilan quickly.

_before him. There were a few answering nods. Then he continued._

_ 'On the other hand, if we are spotted, all bets are off. Start yelling to raise the dead and go at 'em. Make 'em think there's an army out here come to see them off.'_

_Often, he knew, a sleeping garrison could be paralysed by fear at the sound of a yelling, screaming body of attackers. Sometimes, he'd even known garrisons to desert their post and run terrified into the night._

'Like a girl,' said Will and got a kick in his knee by Alyss.

_ He looked around. There was a rough path at the foot of the hill, winding up towards the silent, sleeping town above them. He gestured towards it with the head of his axe. _

_'There's our way to the top,' he said. Then, hitching his shield up on his left shoulder, he uttered the time-honoured Skandian leader's call to action. 'Follow me, boys.'_

'Finally that chapters over,' muttered Halt accidentally letting go of Cassandra and Alyss mouths.

'Lol,' they shouted in unison.

**Lol guys plz review it would make me soooooooooooooooooooo happy… :P Oh a by the way which story should I update next?**


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